The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-28
The Story of a Wreck.
Thrilling and Romantic Account Of
q 6utiny at Sea.
eY w. CLARK RUSSELL,
CHAPTER xIv.-coxrrsuEn

ter- haVe no rear, L SAID, handing
her my watch; 1--WE shall get the bosor
safely slowed below, and with him 8
crow-bar. The carpenter will find i,
rather harder than he imagines to scut.
tie the ship. He-I mean the bosom
il sound asleep. aand snoring like a
fielu-marshal on the eve of glory. His
trumpetlng is wonderfully consoling,
for no man could snore like that who
forcbodes dismal ending of life
| took her hand, receiving as did so
brave smile from her hopeful, pretty
face, and left her.
Without much idea of sleeping, l Law
down under blanket but fell asleep
Immediately. and slept As soundly, if
not as n0isily. as the boatswa:n until
eleven o clock.
The sound of eight bells being struck
awoke me and set my heart to beat
ing rather quickly. and almost imme-
diately | heard Stevens heavy step
coming down the companion-ladder
| lay quiet. thinking ne might look
in. as it would better suit my purpose
10 let him think me asleep. He went
and reused out the boatswain, and
after little the boatswain went on deck.
But Stephens did not Immediately
turn in. l cautiously distracted the
key. and looked through the key-hole.
and observed him bring out bottle of
rum and a tumbler from the pantry,
and help himself to stiff glass. He
swallowed the fiery draught with his
back turned upon the main-deck. that
the men, if any were about, should not
see him: and driving his lips by run
ming his sleeve the full length of his
arm over them. he replaced the bottle
and glass, and went to his cabin.
This was now my time. There was
nothing to fear from his finding me on
deck should he take il into his head to
come NJ, since it was reasonable that
]. acting as skipper. should at any and
all hours be watching the weather and
noting the ships course. more partic-
Ulariy now. when we were supposed to
be drawing near land
Still. left my cabin quietly. rs did
not want him to hear me and sneaked
up through the companion on tiptoe.
The night was not so pitch-darke us |
might have expected from the appear
anee of it through the port-hole; but it
was quite dark enough to answer.
| stepped up TO the boatswain who
stood near the mizzen-mast.
Are YOU ready, BOSOM
'.Ail ready
Not afraid of the ratse' said. with
a laugh.
NO, nor wuss than rats he re-
lied. Has the lady got my clothes
on vet? l should ike to see her
She'll come when we are ready
That light shining on the skylight must
be concealed. l don't want to put the
lamp ont, and an afraid 20 draw the
curtains for fear the rings should rattle.
There's :. tarpauiin in the starboard
quarter boat: take and throw it over
the skylici,t while 90 aft and talk to
the fellow steering. Who is he?"
Jim Cornish"
He found the tarpaulin and concealed
tle light, while spoke to the man at
the wheel about the ships course, the
look of the weather and so on.
Now" said |. reioining the boat
swain, come and take two or three
turns along the poop. that Cornish may
see us together.
We paced to and fro. stopping every
TINE we reached the wheel to look at
the compass.
When we were at the fore end of the
poop | halted.
Walk aft" l said. land post your
self right in the way Of Cornish. that
he shan't be able to see along the
weather-Side OF the poop"
| followed him unit. had come to
the part OF the deck that was right over
Miss Robertson's cabin, and there
struck three smart blows with the heel
of my boot. at the same time Tapping
my hands against my breast so as to
MAKE Cornish believe that was warm |
ing myself
l walked to the break of the poop |
AMI waited
In less time thar could count twenty |
3 figure came out of the cuddy and |
mounted the poop-ladder and stood BY |
my side. Looking close into the face |
L could see that it WAS rather too white |
TO be 4 sailors, that was all. The fig- |
ure was mans most perfectly Sc.
"Admirable. l whispered. grasp |
Ing her hand.
Iposted her close a~ainst the screened |
skyii~hi. that her figure might be on |
q level with the mizzen-mast viewed
from the wheel, and called to the boat
swain.
The tone of my voice gave him his
cue. He came forward just as 4 man
would 10 receive an order
''She is here" said. turning him BY
the arm to where Miss Robertson
stood, motionless. For Gods sake.
get forward at once. Lose no t;me,"
He went up to her and said.
I'm sorry / can't see you properly,
miss. If this wuz daylight reckon
YOU I'd make a handsome sailor. Just fit
for the gals to go dreamin' an ravin'
about"
With which. and waving his hand.
the plucky fellow slipped of the poop
like a shadow. and / watched him
glide along the nIain-decl until he van
ished
Vow" whispered I to my COM
panion. 1.-THE tragedy begins We
must walk up and down that the man
may see rs. Keep on the left
side OF the deck; ii is higher than
where shall walk, and will make You
look taller II
posted her properly. and we lsgan
to measure the deck. u
l took care not to go farther than
the mizzen-rigging, 50 that Cornish
should distinguish nothing but our :
figures; and after we had paraded the
deck awhile l asked her to stand near
the quarter-boat, in which had placed
the box. II
then got on to the rail and fshed
out the box smartly, and stood it On {
the rail. II